Korea head coach Hong Myung-bo gives instructions to his players during their Group A match against Mexico at the 2026 FIFA World Cup at Guadalajara Stadium in Zapopan, Mexico, Thursday (local time). Yonhap
It was always likely that Hong Myung-bo’s coaching legacy would be defined by this World Cup. At the moment, it very much hangs in the balance.
It does not take much imagination to know what the headlines will be if Korea falls at the first hurdle and heads home early. But if the Taeguk Warriors, who beat Czech Republic 2-1 before losing 1-0 to Mexico, defeat South Africa to take six points from the group, which would be its best showing since 2002, all may be well.
Younger fans may not appreciate the stature that Hong had as a player in Korea and Asia. He was one of the stars of the 2002 World Cup, captaining the team to the semifinals and scoring the winning goal in the penalty shoot-out against Spain in the quarterfinals. His image then was of a strong, charismatic leader appearing at his fourth World Cup.
That image has taken a hit, and some of the reverence has gone — such is the life as a coach, who naturally takes the blame when results are not great. In the early days of his coaching career, Hong looked like he could become the first Asian to have a global impact, perhaps even working in the big leagues of Europe. In 2009, he took the U-20 national team to the quarterfinal of the World Cup. At the 2012 Olympics, he delivered a historic success with a bronze medal with a win over Japan.
